Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Princes Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Princes Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,107 in Princes Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,800 in Princes Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,494 in Princes Town, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Princes Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Princes Town are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Princes Town 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$10.45 TTD 70.6

12.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$67.4 TTD 456

-38.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$7.61 TTD 51.4

36.79%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$3.03 TTD 20.45

19.14%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.86 TTD 5.78

69.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.77 TTD 5.18

25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.65 TTD 11.12

76.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.33 TTD 15.76

98.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.74 TTD 11.75

-17.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$2.10 TTD 14.17

-9.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$2.27 TTD 15.33

-30.84%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.80 TTD 18.93

-5.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$2.88 TTD 19.46

193.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$10.58 TTD 71.5

-18.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$14.20 TTD 95.9

-22.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$5.80 TTD 39.20

-53.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.46 TTD 9.90

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$4.26 TTD 28.76

-55.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$4.75 TTD 32.11

-54.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.42 TTD 9.60

31.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.72 TTD 11.63

29.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.21 TTD 8.16

-10.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.35 TTD 9.11

-20.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$5.79 TTD 39.13

-28.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$18.97 TTD 128

-45.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.20 TTD 14.89

-23.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.80 TTD 18.95

-9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$1.30 TTD 8.77

-57.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.01 TTD 6.81

216.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.22 TTD 8.27

101.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.78 TTD 12.05

79.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.14 TTD 7.71

15.79%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$34.1K TTD 230.3K

-11.54%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$38.6K TTD 260.7K

-39.38%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$81.4 MX$1,400

$80.9 TTD 547

0.52%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.41 MX$386

$46.94 TTD 317

-52.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$62.8 TTD 424

-52.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$44.85 TTD 303

14.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$6.50 TTD 43.93

-20.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$202 MX$3,471

$180 TTD 1,217

11.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$7,271 TTD 49.1K

-26.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$59.2 TTD 400

-39.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$38.72 TTD 262

4.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$95.3 TTD 644

-17.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$88.9 TTD 601

-2.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$297 TTD 2,005

220.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$226 TTD 1,526

111.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$658 TTD 4,448

146.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$445 TTD 3,003

175.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.38

112.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Princes Town: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $297 in Princes Town. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $67.0 in Princes Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $325 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Princes Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,661 in Princes Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Princes Town, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,107 in Princes Town. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $180 in Princes Town. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Princes Town, where all-in costs run around $1,107, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Princes Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Princes Town – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Princes Town. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.